Maintenance supporting system and maintenance supporting method utilizing a reference image and indicator

Abstract

To provide a structure maintenance supporting system that can accurately and quickly associate any position on a structure with a position in the drawing of the structure that is referred to at the time of maintenance. A maintenance supporting system includes an image displaying device that displays an image of a structure to be referred to when any damaged position on the structure is maintained, and a processing unit that performs calculation to associate the damaged position with a position in the image. The processing unit includes a damaged position calculating section that calculates a target coordinate which is the coordinate of the damaged position using known coordinates given to a plurality of reference points, and a position specifying section that specifies a position in the image corresponding to the target coordinate with an indication on the image displaying device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A maintenance supporting system comprising:
 a display that displays a reference image of a structure that is referred to when a target position on the structure undergoes maintenance; and 
 a processor that performs a calculation to associate the target position on the structure with a position in the reference image of the structure, 
 wherein the processor is configured to:
 calculate a target coordinate which is a coordinate of the target position on the structure using known coordinates given to a plurality of reference points; 
 transform the target coordinate into a reference coordinate indicating a position corresponding to the target coordinate in a form of a coordinate in a coordinate system given to the reference image; and 
 specify the position in the reference image of the structure corresponding to the target coordinate, with an indication on the display. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A maintenance supporting method using a processor that performs a calculation to associate a position in a reference image of a structure that is referred to when any target position on the structure undergoes maintenance with a position on the structure, the maintenance supporting method comprising:
 calculating a target coordinate which is a coordinate of the target position on the structure using known coordinates given to a plurality of reference points; 
 transforming the target coordinate into a reference coordinate which is a coordinate in a coordinate system given to the reference image; and 
 specifying a position in the reference image of the structure corresponding to the target coordinate, with an indication. 
 
     
     
       3. The maintenance supporting system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the target coordinate using, in addition to the known coordinates, a plurality of captured images that are obtained by capturing the target position and the plurality of reference points from different positions. 
     
     
       4. The maintenance supporting system according to  claim 3 , wherein individually identifiable markings are provided on the structure at the target position and the reference points. 
     
     
       5. The maintenance supporting system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the target coordinate using, in addition to the known coordinates, distances between the plurality of reference points and the target position. 
     
     
       6. The maintenance supporting system according to  claim 5 , further comprising a laser range finder to measure the distances. 
     
     
       7. The maintenance supporting system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to specify a region to which the position corresponding to the target coordinate belongs, from among a plurality of regions that are set to members making up the structure in the reference image, with an indication on the display. 
     
     
       8. A maintenance supporting system comprising: memory; a display that displays a reference image of a structure that is referred to when a target position on the structure undergoes maintenance; and a processor that performs a calculation to associate the target position on the structure with a position in the reference image of the structure, wherein the processor is configured to: calculate a target coordinate which is a coordinate of the target position on the structure using known coordinates given to a plurality of reference points; transform the target coordinate into a reference coordinate indicating the position corresponding to the target coordinate in a form of a coordinate in a coordinate system given to the reference image; specify a position in the reference image of the structure corresponding to the target coordinate, with an indication on the display; wherein the processor is further configured to: save maintenance history data in which the target coordinate is associated with the reference image in the memory; and if any associated maintenance history data is present when the reference image is referred to, specify the position corresponding to the target coordinate contained in the maintenance history data in the reference image. 
     
     
       9. The maintenance supporting system according to  claim 1 , wherein, maintenance information corresponding to the specified position is displayed on the display. 
     
     
       10. The maintenance supporting system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is included in a computer. 
     
     
       11. The maintenance supporting system according to  claim 10 ,
 further comprising memory that stores an electronic maintenance manual that provides information necessary for maintenance, wherein the reference image is contained in the electronic maintenance manual. 
 
     
     
       12. The maintenance supporting system according to  claim 1 , wherein the structure is of an aircraft. 
     
     
       13. The maintenance supporting method according to  claim 2  further comprising:
 displaying the reference image of the structure for reference when the target position on the structure undergoes maintenance. 
 
     
     
       14. The maintenance supporting method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 disposing targets which light emitted from the target position enters, at the plurality of reference points; and 
 measuring distances between the plurality of reference points and the target position by utilizing the reflection of light, wherein 
 the target coordinate is calculated using the distances in addition to the known coordinates. 
 
     
     
       15. The maintenance supporting method according to  claim 2 , wherein the structure is of an aircraft. 
     
     
       16. A maintenance method comprising the maintenance supporting method according to  claim 2 , and further comprising:
 accessing maintenance information corresponding to the specified position; and 
 taking measures based on the maintenance information. 
 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, instructions that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method of  claim 2 .